Balatro: Unleash the Power of Cheats and the Debug Menu
Balatro, the 2024 Game Award-winning sensation, captivated players worldwide with its innovative gameplay and endless replayability. Millions of copies sold, and numerous accolades speak to its enduring appeal. However, even seasoned players may seek new ways to enhance their experience. While mods offer one solution, accessing Balatro's built-in developer debug menu provides an alternative, achievement-preserving method to experiment with the game's mechanics. This guide details how to activate cheats and utilize the debug menu’s powerful features.
Quick Links
Enabling Cheats in Balatro
To unlock Balatro's hidden debug menu and its built-in cheats, you'll need 7-Zip, a free, open-source archiving tool. Locate your Balatro installation directory (typically
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Balatro
). If you can't find it, navigate to your Steam library, right-click Balatro, select "Manage," then "Browse Local Files."
Right-click
Balatro.exe
and choose to open the archive using 7-Zip (you may need to select "Show More Options" depending on your OS and 7-Zip settings). Locate conf.lua
and open it with a simple text editor like Notepad.
Modify the line
_RELEASE_MODE = true
to _RELEASE_MODE = false
, then save the file. If saving proves difficult, extract conf.lua
to your desktop, make the change, and replace the original file. Successfully completing this step activates the debug menu, accessible by holding the Tab key during gameplay.
To deactivate the debug menu, simply revert the _RELEASE_MODE
parameter in conf.lua
back to true
.
Using the Debug Menu in Balatro
Balatro's cheat menu is user-friendly, with intuitive functions. Unlock collectibles by hovering over them and pressing '1'; spawn jokers by hovering and pressing '3'. While initially limited to five jokers, pressing 'Q' four times on a joker in your hand transforms it into a negative, effectively allowing unlimited jokers.
Balatro Cheat Codes (Hold Tab to Access Menu)
Cheat / Key | Effect |
---|---|
1 | Unlock Collectible (hover over in collection) |
2 | Discover Collectible (hover over in collection) |
3 | Spawn Collectible (hover over in collection) |
Q | Change Joker Edition (hover over in hand) |
H | Isolate Background |
J | Play Splash Animation |
8 | Toggle Cursor |
9 | Toggle All Tooltips |
$10 | Adds $10 to Total |
+1 Round | Increases Round by 1 |
+1 Ante | Increases Ante by 1 |
+1 Hand | Adds an additional Hand |
+1 Discard | Adds an additional Discard |
Boss Reroll | Rerolls the Boss |
Background | Removes Background |
+10 Chips | Adds 10 Chips to Total |
+10 Mult | Adds 10 to Multiplier |
X2 Chips | Doubles Chip Total |
X10 Mult | Increases Multiplier by 10 |
Win this Run | Completes Current Run |
Lose this Run | Ends Current Run |
Reset | Resets Current Run |
Jimbo | Makes Jimbo Appear |
Jimbo Talk | Displays Jimbo Text Box |
Enjoy experimenting with Balatro's expanded possibilities!